Entry in and desisting from organized crime: an (auto)biographical study of individuals involved in organized crime

• In Event: Organized crime: involvement, determinants, and impact

Abstract

There are various ways in which individuals may get involved in organized crime varying from active recruitment by criminal groups, growing into via social ties, self-setup, and individuals seeking to join organized crime groups by their own initiative. What are the predominant entering mechanisms for Dutch organized crime offenders and the risk factors associated with it? What are furthermore the mechanisms by which Dutch individuals desist from organized crime? The current study uses 40 unique Dutch (auto)biographies published between 1945 and 2022 of individuals involved in organized crime. The (auto)biographies provide a detailed look into the personal and criminal lives of those involved in organized crime. In this presentation, the preliminary results of the study will be discussed by showing the entering mechanism(s) by which the individuals became involved in organized crime, the personal and environmental risk factors that played a role in it, and the ways in which individuals desisted from organized crime.

Authors

• Sjoukje van Deuren, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Matthias Hall, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement

• Veroni Eichelsheim, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement

• Arjan Blokland, NSCR